Authorities also discovered and burned 16,641 kilograms of narcotics during the operation, which ended Sunday, the interior ministry said.

The ministry described the 64 people killed as "terrorists."

Fourteen civilians held by insurgents were released during the operation, the ministry said.

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium, heroin and hashish, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.

The illicit drug trade is a major source of revenue for the Taliban, which "tax" Afghan farmers and traffickers to fund the insurgency.